Admission

Both the general and the specific DIA admission requirements apply for admission to the Ph.D. programme in International Affairs and Political Economy.

General admission requirements:
Please refer to the general admission requirements for Ph.D. Studies at the University of St.Gallen.

Specific admission requirements for the DIA:

Degree
As a graduate of one of the following St.Gallen Master programmes you can be admitted to the DIA Ph.D. programme without supplementary work:
a) International Affairs and Governance (MIA)
b) Economics (MEcon)
c) Quantitative Finance and Economics (MiQE/F)
d) Banking and Finance (MBF)

You can also enrol in the DIA Ph.D. programme without having to meet any additional criteria if you hold a degree equivalent to the MIA, MEcon, MiQE/F or MBF degrees. If you hold a degree in an unrelated discipline, then you must complete supplementary work to the effect of 18-20 credits.

Evidence of proficiency in English
If you are not a native English speaker or have not completed your Master's in a degree course taught completely in English, you must provide evidence of satisfactory proficiency in English. The following examinations are recognized:
a) English examination at proficiency level II of the University of St.Gallen
b) Externally taken English examination at level C2 (e.g. Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English)
c) Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

Letter of recommendation
A letter of recommendation from a professor at the University of St.Gallen is required for admission to the DIA Ph.D. programme. Admission to the programme requires a letter of recommendation and that a professor from one of the departments of Political Science, Economics, Public International Law or Public Management agrees to become your supervisor.

You can find a list of these professors in the column on the right. Other professors may serve as doctoral thesis supervisor with the agreement of the Programme Committee.

Additional documents
You may also submit the following documents:
a) a letter outlining your reasons for study
b) a research outline with remarks on your research issue
c) references from professors at other universities

The Programme Committee will decide on admission to the programme. Admissions are confirmed in writing by the Programme Committee.